Live every day as if it were your last, for some day you are sure to be right!

Monday, November 09, 2009

I Suppose I Should Post Something

Happy Monday, everyone. I don't know why I'm so apathetic about my blog lately, but I just am. I know that everyone checks in first thing Monday morning, and I should have something up, but y'all know I'm naturally lazy, and just didn't feel it, so there.

Oh, I've got stuff from the weekend to share, but I'm just not up to the task today. Maybe tomorrow. Besides, I'm feeling kinda groggy right now, and I'm still working on my first cup of coffee. After a long weekend of living like a tourist again, I had to work last night. That was no fun. And when I got home, the big electrical junction box on the wall outside my window was buzzing so damn loud that I had to turn on some music just to drown out the sound so I could get to sleep. I set my iPod on my 'Martini Time' playlist, which is about 90% mellow tunes. But there are a few WTF IS THAT? songs that snuck through, and I woke up to one such piece of musical crap with lots of annoying horns, a horrible singer, and the upright bassist playing like he had to pee really bad. Not the best way to wake up and face the week.

So yeah, it sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays...

What else is going on? Let's see here. Well, somebody pointed out to me this weekend that I never mentioned buying any toys on Amazon after I won my pile of hundies last weekend. Honestly--I'd completely forgotten about that kinda stuff. When I came home that night, honestly, my first thought was getting a picture with a handful of Benjamins and sharing it here--which I did. Then I had all day Sunday to think about what to do with the rest of the money. Actually--it was a no-brainer. I paid off every bill I had, plus pre-paid my next two truck payments. I then sent a chunk to the cruise line and to my E*trade account, and that took up the majority of it.

Oh, I spent about $400 on new clothes, and another couple hundie at WalMart and Costco, stocking up on essentials, plus household staples and canned goods for when the inevitable lean times make their return. I also paid for a hotel room in Florida next year--when I go on my cruise, I'm gonna fly out a day early and spend the night. Leaving the same day from the other side of the country cuts it a little too close, not giving me any time to spare in case of bad weather or mechanical delay, and I certainly don't want to miss the boat, as they say.

I'd thought about coughing up about $600+ and picking up a new Canon DSLR, but I decided to wait on that purchase. It'll happen, but not until after the cruise is completely paid for, I decided.

Besides that, I spent another couple hundred this weekend living like an out-of-towner. I spent a few bucks at the Foundation Room on Friday night, then checked into the Hilton on Saturday afternoon, went to the all-day wine tasting, treated myself to an overpriced dinner at a nice restaurant, and then crashed in a comfy king-sized bed in an overpriced room that overlooked the Strip. But more about all that later.

You'll be surprised to know that I didn't make a single bet in the sports book these past two weeks. Yep, none of my new-found fortune got recycled back into the casino by way of the football sucker bets (although I really really wanted to put a bet in on Zenyatta on Saturday, but I completely spaced it once I got to the Hilton, so that was a missed opportunity). On the other hand, I purposely gambled away a couple hundred bucks in the poker room last week--every time I set foot in there, everyone wanted me to "bring your four grand to this table, Mikey!", so I played like a donkey a couple of times, (calling some of my favorite players when I shouldn't have, raising and folding, etc.), if only for the sake of goodwill towards the people who keep me in the lifestyle to which I've become accustomed (you know, living indoors).

So that pretty much took care of my little windfall, but when I was talking to Mamasan yesterday, she asked me if I'd stopped reading, because I never mention any books anymore. Well, the truth is, I'm down to book 20 of the Patrick O'Brian novels, and I'm a little pissed that it's ending. I know the author passed away in the middle of writing the 21st installment, so I know that it's coming to an end, and not in a way that ties up all the loose ends and leaves me with a feeling of closure. So I've been dragging my way through the last one.

Also, I'm up to volume 8 in the 'Prelude to Glory' series, and I'm extremely irritated with it. It's a decent series, but it's not that great. I'm enjoying the story, but I have issues with it. The problem is, most of the fans of the series are truly fanatic, and volume 8 is impossible to find. Even the used copies are selling for upwards of $120 on the internet, and all the reviews I've found tell me that it's the worst, most tedious, of the entire set. There ain't NO WAY on Flying Spaghetti Monster's green earth that I'd ever pay that kind of money for any book, much less one filled with so much Mormon dogma. Seriously people, $120? You've got to be kidding me. Now, it's available at the Henderson library, but for whatever reason, the online system won't let me reserve it, so I have to drive my ass down there and reserve it in person.

So my book reading has slowed down quite a bit. Besides, I'm still on a huge heater at the poker tables--forget about the loose play in my own room, where I've given a little back this week. Every time I walk into the M Resort, it's like collecting a paycheck. I haven't lost in that place in over a month, so I just keep going back there every chance I get. Between that part-time 'job' and my real job, I haven't had much time to indulge in feeding the reading monster.

However, I got to thinking about it, and this weekend I broke down and finally spent a few bucks at Amazon. I had to buy some replacement Sennheiser earbuds that I use with my iPod, and well, I got a little carried away on my wishlist. I think I ended up spending another couple hundred bucks there, too. I got a few non-fiction books, a couple of DVDs, and something I've had on my list forever--Mike Caro's Book of Poker Tells.

I've gotten pretty good at reading people, especially since I get lots of free practice while I'm dealing, but I'm no pro, that's for sure. I think this book might help my no-limit game a bit, and maybe even give me some insight on what to do when it gets down to heads-up on the river in a limit game. We'll see.

With that, my spending is done. Well, except for maybe later this week when I go down to the Verizon store, pick up a new Droid, and tell AT&T "It's not you, it's me".

Anyhow, that's the news from here. Once I get properly caffeinated and motivated, I'll toss up a couple of pictures and a few paragraphs about my weekend's activities. Until then, enjoy your Monday, everybody...